Progress #43

by willsauger

I’ve scrapped The Emperor’s Right.

Ah… yeah, just about.

I started the story with the idea of a series of short stories mostly about this knight and his likely-emperor travelling to different kingdoms to reunite the fallen one that they were apart of once. A charming, partner-hopping (both male and female) knight with a body like steel, and an emperor who’s Sherlock on steroids. But, as I hit the second story, I ran into a road block: The Knight’s past lover. And I wanted to tell her story, and how she was the downfall of the entire empire, and the knight still loved her. But I didn’t want to do a flashback for a short story series, and as I fell in love with the idea, I started plotting an entire book around her and his relationship.

That turned into Advent. The main story’s purpose was to show the relationship and their upbringing, and end with the lover destroying the empire.

Then I would continue onto the next books, bringing out more kingdoms, knights, likely-emperors for war and such. And I kept to the idea that I didn’t want war-epics or politic-debates. That I would bring out the personal relationships more.

After at least a dozen rewrites on Advent (numerous revises and edits), writing LifeFire, plotting a side character’s life, starting the third book, plotting many other books only to be cut down later… everything kinda floated away.

I started to tear away at Advent and looked at the ugly truth: I didn’t have a well-established world. My characters were filling roles. Much of the interaction I wanted was with between different characters, so the romance aspect felt forced–like I expected the reader to know they were in love. And as I started planning a trilogy, I started pulling out more problems with how the story was extended and how to fill it. And I didn’t want that.

So, I scrapped it. I’ve taken some golden points I’ve always liked and started brainstorming up a new story.

This time I’m working with a stronger, much stronger system and building up from a design (in the best way possible).

I am sure if anyone can find a way to make it all work, it will be you. I like the initial premise you speak of, and I think you can build a convincing world with those two characters journeying to re-unite the empire.